The common season is over, which implies Celtics followers can lastly begin doing the enjoyable half: scoreboard-watching, matchup-guessing and mapping out the primary weekend of the playoffs.
Boston already dealt with the massive piece of enterprise by locking up the No. 2 seed within the Eastern Conference, so the one factor left is ready to see who comes out of the East play-in image and lands within the Celtics’ path. The NBA’s play-in match begins on April 14 and runs by way of April 17, whereas the primary spherical of the playoffs opens on Saturday, April 18.
When do the NBA playoffs begin for the Celtics?
The NBA playoffs formally start on Saturday, April 18. That is the opening day of the primary spherical for the entire league, and Boston’s sequence will start both that day or on Sunday, April 19, relying on how the league finalizes the schedule after the common season ends. The NBA has not posted the Celtics’ actual Game 1 date or tip time but.
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That half is locked in; the wait is sort of over. The solely factor Boston doesn’t know but is the opponent, as a result of the Celtics’ first-round matchup comes from the play-in facet of the bracket. With Boston locked in because the East’s No. 2 seed, they’re going to face the eventual No. 7 seed.
For Celtics followers, which means the true “playoffs start” feeling could hit a number of days early. Tuesday evening’s East 7-vs-8 play-in sport between the 76ers and Magic is mainly the primary huge scouting evening for Boston, as a result of the winner of that sport turns into the No. 7 seed and heads straight right into a first-round sequence in opposition to the Celtics.
How does the play-in have an effect on the Celtics, and who might Boston face?
The play-in match runs April 14-17. The format is straightforward:
- No. 7 vs. No. 8: winner turns into the No. 7 seed
- No. 9 vs. No. 10: loser is out
- The loser of 7-vs-8 then performs the winner of 9-vs-10 for the No. 8 seed
Boston is locked into the No. 2 seed within the East, so the Celtics know they’ll open the playoffs in opposition to the No. 7 seed, not the No. 8.
That image received lots clearer after Sunday’s video games. Philadelphia grabbed the No. 7 spot, Orlando slid to No. 8, Charlotte completed No. 9 and Miami landed at No. 10, which implies Boston’s first-round opponent will come from Tuesday’s 7-vs.-8 play-in sport between the 76ers and Magic.
The Celtics nonetheless have to attend a pair extra days for the title, however Boston’s reserves already helped form the bracket by caring for Orlando on Sunday and sending the Magic on the highway as a substitute of letting them host that play-in sport.
What dates ought to Celtics followers circle for Round 1?
Here are the massive dates to know:
- Tuesday, April 14: East 7-vs-8 play-in sport
- Friday, April 17: closing play-in video games for the No. 8 seeds
- Saturday, April 18: first spherical of the NBA playoffs begins
The NBA says the first-round schedule shall be introduced after the common season ends. With Boston already locked into the No. 2 seed, TD Garden shall be opening for playoff basketball on the primary weekend of the postseason.
That is the Celtics fan model of the ready sport proper now. Boston is aware of the place it’s, is aware of roughly when it’s going to begin and now simply has to seek out out which play-in survivor is strolling into the Garden first.
